A Sunday storm water leak at the West Somerville Neighborhood School has caused two grades to relocate temporarily to a Tufts building as classes resume Wednesday, school officials said Tuesday.
While students in pre-K and other elementary grades can report as usual to the school at 177 Powder House Blvd. – even as city crews work around them to clean up water damage and “ensure the building is safe and healthy for students and staff to return” – seventh and eighth graders will attend classes at the Tufts Administrative Building at 167 Holland St. between Davis and Teele squares. Sixth graders are on a weeklong field trip. “We will update on plans for sixth-grade classes later this week before our students return,” said Darryl Nash, chief communications officer for the district.
“Throughout Tuesday, moving crews have been relocating essential furniture and supplies to prepare classrooms and create a supportive, functional learning environment for students,” Nash said. School hours are unchanged; extra staff will be at the Holland Street entrance at the Tufts building to help direct students, and will escort students to after-school programs so they can be picked up after school from WSNS as usual.
Around 10 classrooms and some additional smaller spaces such as breakout and storage rooms were damaged over the weekend, and city teams and water damage and cleaning contractors are working to clean and dry them, up to removing sections of drywall so industrial fans can dry out wall cavities. Nash explained:
“As this work takes place, air purifiers and wet-dry vacuums are being used to clean up minimal dust and debris. Once these areas are properly dried, which typically requires at least 48 hours, drywall will be reinstalled and any needed repairs to baseboards or other items will be completed. All drywall and insulation being removed as part of ongoing repairs in the affected classrooms will be removed and cleaned up today before designated grades and staff return to the building tomorrow.”
There are no known safety or health concerns, but air purifiers are bing run for extra precaution, Nash said, and the city brought on an industrial hygienist who “is legally required to flag any issues and has confirmed that there is no reason for concern.”
“Our intent is to keep lower grades together at WSNS and upper grades together,” Nash said.
